Frybarger DE-705

Frybarger

Raymond Frybarger, Jr., born 22 April 1923 in Toledo, Ohio, enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve 22 April 1940. Private First Class Frybarger was killed in action on Guadalcanal 14 September 1942. For his heroism in exposing himself to enemy fire in an attack on Henderson Field and maintaining effective rifle fire until killed, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

(DE-705: dp. 1,400; 1. 306'; b. 36'10"; dr. 9'5"

s. 24 k.; cpl. 186; a. 3 3", 3 21" tt., 8 dcp., 1 dcp. (hh.), 2 dct.; cl. Buckley)

Frybarger (DE-705) was launched 25 January 1944 by Defoe Shipbuilding Corp., Bay City, Mich. sponsored by Miss Carol J. Frybarger, sister of Private First Class Frybarger, and commissioned 18 May 1944 Lieutenant Commander G. C. Ewing, USNR, in command. She was reclassified DEC-705 on 13 September 1950, and DE-705 on 27 December 1957.

After two convoy escort voyages to Bizerte made between 25 July 1944 and 18 November, Frybarger received new equipment and trained for Pacific duty. She arrived at Manus 23 January 1945, and began escort duty to and in the Philippines until 30 August. Ports of call for her during this assignment included the Carolines; Lingayen Gulf, Manila, and Zamboanga; Hollandia; and on one voyage, Okinawa.

Frybarger arrived at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 3 September 1945 for duty escorting transports carrying troops to occupation duty in Korea and China until sailing for home 8 November. She arrived at Boston 15 December, and at Green Cove Springs, Fla,, 20 January 1946. There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 30 June 1947.

Equipped with additional communication gear during her reactivation, Frybarger was recommissioned 6 October 1950 as a control escort vessel. After training in the Caribbean, she arrived at her home port San Diego, 11 March 1951 and began an intensive schedule which included service as control vessel for landing ships and craft in amphibious exercises and training for students of the Fleet Sonar School San Diego.

Between 6 March 1952 and 2 October, Frybarger made a tour of duty with the 7th Fleet in the Far East, serving on barrier patrol off Okinawa, in amphibious exercises off Japan, training with submarines and visiting Japanese ports. A second Far Eastern deployment between 1 September 1953 and 5 June 1954 found Frybarger concentrating on amphibious exercises with marines on the beaches of Okinawa Inchon, Korea; Chigasaki, Japan, and in the Bonins. She was decommissioned at San Diego 9 December 1954 and placed in reserve.